Page 1 of Rise In Arms

Three Years Ago

“Kane, help her, please help her.”

I stare at my sister Hazel, who has tears falling down her face. Why the fuck she feels anything for this whore of a woman we call our mom, I have no fucking clue. I lean back on the kitchen bench, inhaling on my cigarette, watching on as Hazel cries, shaking my mom and trying to wake her up.

“Mom, wake up, please wake up. Call an ambulance, Kane.”

I take one last drag of my cigarette and throw the butt in the sink, watching as it fizzles out in the water. Striding to my sister, I grab a hold of her arms, forcing her to stand up. She’s so tiny and hardly weighs a thing, and I hate my mom for neglecting her. I don’t give a shit about myself, but Hazel is precious—she’s kind and sweet, everything my mother’s not. Even after everything our mom has done, Hazel still loves her. The amount of men I’ve had to knock the fuck out because my mom offered her daughter’s virginity in replacement for a hit, I can’t friggin’ count. She’s still a virgin, and her first time will not be at the hands of someone my mother’s pimp has organized to rape her, all to pay for more drugs.

“Listen to me, Hazel,” I warn, squeezing her arms in a firm grip and shaking her. “She’s fucking dead, so listen to me! We need to get the hell out of here before one of her pimps comes knocking on the door demanding payment.”

Hazel’s eyes widen and her bottom lip quivers. Her brown hair, which reaches down to her lower back, hangs in her face, and I pull it back, tucking it behind her ear.

“Sorry, darlin’, but we gotta get out of here.”

“But… but… what about Mom?” she whispers as she looks down at the floor at our mother, who has white foam running down her jaw; God only knew what drug she’d overdosed on.

“Look at me,” I demand. Hazel reluctantly raises her eyes to mine, and I continue. “We need to get the fuck out—now. Are you coming with me?”

She inhales a deep breath, and nods in response. “Yes, Kane.”

“That’s my girl,” I say, giving her a brief smile. “Now be a good girl and pack your clothes, we’re leaving here tonight.”

“But… where will we go?” Hazel asks, tears sliding down her cheeks.

I stop what I’m doing and turn to face her, gripping her pale and gaunt face in my hands. “I’ll take care of you, no matter what. I’ll always have you, Hazel, you got me?”

Her eyes squeeze shut, and she nods her head. “I get you, Kane.”

“Good girl. I’ll meet you out front, I have a call to make. Be quick, now. We don’t have much time.”

Hazel nods then turns and heads to her bedroom. I look down at my mom and shake my head. “I hope you’re happy now, Mom. I hope that last fix was worth it,” I say on a growl, leaning over and grabbing the throw from the couch and covering her up with it, so Hazel doesn’t have to see her again on the way out. I walk over to the front door and open it before I make a call.

“Yo, Kane, my man. Where you at?”

“I need a favor, Slade.”

“Why hello to you too, man.”

“Stop fuckin’ around,” I grind out. “I need a fight. Tonight.”

“Whoa. Whoa. I thought you were done. You took a beating the last time you were in the ring.”

I smile to myself, rubbing my jaw, still feeling the sting from where my last opponent hit me.

“I’m still standing, aren’t I? And from what I remember, I won that fight. Now get me a fucking fight tonight, Slade, I’m not fucking around. I need the money.”

“Okay, man. I’ll get you your fight, but I don’t think you’ll be happy with who you’re fighting.”

“Don’t give a fuck who, I need the money,” I reply, kicking the brick wall with my boot.

“It’s Tank.”

I still and swallow hard. The last time I was in the ring with Tank, he knocked me out. I woke up not knowing where the fuck I was, and I even had to spend a couple of nights in hospital from the beating I took from him. Cracked ribs, internal bleeding, broken jaw, and the list went on.

“Kane, you still there, man?”

“Yeah, still here. Get me the fight.”

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